English Electric Company (Clayton-le-moors). - Page 3

Stumped · 12-10-2009, 17:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

That factory was purpose built in 1939, for the production of the Bristol Radial Engine, some people knew then, that there would be a war with Germany, even though Chamberlain thought there would be peace in our time.
My father went to Bristol at Clayton as a machine setter in late 1939.

Other factory's up and down the country were built for the production of war materials at the same time, otherwise we would'nt have had the battle of Britain when Spitfires and Hurricanes beat off the Luftwaffe. Rolls Royce were producing the Merlin Engines in great quantities.

Retlaw.

Thanks for the insight, Retlaw. Seems that the site has quite a chequered history, then? There was certainly a lot more going in the past than the current trend towards the individual units that populate the area today. Still, if the units are providing local employment, then all's well and good.

SoulManic · 25-10-2009, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumped

Thanks for the insight, Retlaw. Seems that the site has quite a chequered history, then? There was certainly a lot more going in the past than the current trend towards the individual units that populate the area today. Still, if the units are providing local employment, then all's well and good.

Does anyone else remember seeing remnants of the camouflage paint which originally covered all the factory buildings at the Bristol site during the war to avoid the site being bombed. As far as I know the nearest bomb destroyed a terraced house above the Greyhound pub on the opposite side of Whalley Road - about a mile away. The result was a gap in the row of houses which was left there for decades afterwards.

Retlaw · 25-10-2009, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoulManic

Does anyone else remember seeing remnants of the camouflage paint which originally covered all the factory buildings at the Bristol site during the war to avoid the site being bombed. As far as I know the nearest bomb destroyed a terraced house above the Greyhound pub on the opposite side of Whalley Road - about a mile away. The result was a gap in the row of houses which was left there for decades afterwards.

The last remnants of the camoflage I remember seeing were the black stripes on some of the older buildings on the left, as you entered from the main gate, that was in the mid 1950's and they were very faded.
The gap in the houses was caused by a couple of incediaries, jerry was on his way back from bombing Manchester, and they were clearing the bomb racks, they could have dropped anywhere between Manchester and Liverpool, Clayton won.

Retlaw

cashman · 25-10-2009, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

The last remnants of the camoflage I remember seeing were the black stripes on some of the older buildings on the left, as you entered from the main gate, that was in the mid 1950's and they were very faded.
The gap in the houses was caused by a couple of incediaries, jerry was on his way back from bombing Manchester, and they were clearing the bomb racks, they could have dropped anywhere between Manchester and Liverpool, Clayton won.

Retlaw

no wonder the krauts lost, if they were on way back after bombing the mancs, accy/clayton is opposite way to germany, if me geographys any good.?

steeljack · 26-10-2009, 02:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

no wonder the krauts lost, if they were on way back after bombing the mancs, accy/clayton is opposite way to germany, if me geographys any good.?

Seem to remember we had this 'discussion' about a year or two ago , think one of the ideas put forward at the time was the Germans were on their way back to Germany (European mainland) after a raid on Belfast or were talking a northern loop back after bombing Liverpool

ps , wellcome back , hope you had a good holiday

Alan Gilmartin · 26-10-2009, 07:24

Found this,

Retlaw · 26-10-2009, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

no wonder the krauts lost, if they were on way back after bombing the mancs, accy/clayton is opposite way to germany, if me geographys any good.?

They were'nt lost, they were on there way back to meet up with the ones that had been bombing Liverpool. Jerry rather than fly the length of England, took off from France on his bombing raids flew up the Irish sea, one lot stayed over Liverpool, whilst the others went on to Manchester, I used to hear them dronning over head then see the searchlights pick them up over Salford and Manchester, and the flashes of the ack ack shells.

Retlaw.

Retlaw · 26-10-2009, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by steeljack

Seem to remember we had this 'discussion' about a year or two ago , think one of the ideas put forward at the time was the Germans were on their way back to Germany (European mainland) after a raid on Belfast or were talking a northern loop back after bombing Liverpool

ps , wellcome back , hope you had a good holiday

People seem to forget that jerry ruled most of europe, and didn't need to fly from germany they had most of the airfields in france to choose from.
Remember they were only across the channel.
where were the DDay landings, France.

Retlaw.

alan7554 · 26-10-2009, 12:24

my late mother worked at EE from 1958--- 1984 in Route card issue in the office block that ran parallell to blackburn road,her supervisor was called dennis varley,he came from padiham,and she also worked with jack hacking from rishton and edna pullen from spring hill accrington,i can remember all the buses that used to wait on the front of the factory where the old junction 7 car sales was as i used to walk passed there after i finished school in accrington,when she retired in 1984 all she got was a cheap gold plated carriage clock

KAYJAY · 28-10-2009, 12:14

I must have known your Mum - I worked in the RCI office 60/61 - left to join Civil Service. I well remember Denis Varley, quite a character, Edna Pullen, husband Arthur worked in another EE office. I remember Gladys Cornwall, Joan Hughes, Connie Herbert, May Maudsley, Eva Swindell, Joan Hughes, Jean ? , Mary Caulfield, others who's names I just cannot bring back.

SoulManic · 07-11-2009, 23:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAYJAY

I must have known your Mum - I worked in the RCI office 60/61 - left to join Civil Service. I well remember Denis Varley, quite a character, Edna Pullen, husband Arthur worked in another EE office. I remember Gladys Cornwall, Joan Hughes, Connie Herbert, May Maudsley, Eva Swindell, Joan Hughes, Jean ? , Mary Caulfield, others who's names I just cannot bring back.

In the mid to late 60's I was in the Data Processing Department in the top left corner of the building behind the front office block. Our boss was David Holden and he was the only one to have much contact with other departments. I do remember Keith Salisbury in the Cashiers Office - I think he lived in Barnes Street in Clayton.

Initially the data processing was done via punched card machines in which the cards were sorted, collated and reports printed primarily for stores ledger. The data processing was then transferred to an English Electric KDF6 computer at their Computer Bureau at Huyton just off the East Lancs Road.

We used to travel there regularly to test programmes and run the computer to process the data, sometimes working through the night if that was the only time slot available. It was seriously interesting work but we also had some fun.

Stumped · 08-11-2009, 21:52

We touched briefly on this before, but the English Electric Sports Day was one of the highlights on the Clayton-le-moors calendar rivalling the ever popular 'scholars walks' for attendance. I used to love watching the tug-o-war teams who came from near and far to compete. Remember also a famous test-pilot being helicoptered in from Warton to publicise the much vaunted TSR2 Project which was eventually scuppered by Harold Wilson's Labour Administration. It was the first time that many of us had seen a helicopter close up and everyone was thrilled by the event which was the talk of the shop floor for days afterwards.

pennylynn · 24-11-2009, 00:31

Don't know if anyone can help me but my brother in law served his time at English Electric and left in 1974 to live in New Zealand, he is now over 65 and trying to trace any pension there might be. Does anyone know where I should advise him to contact?

Atarah · 26-11-2009, 21:37

Found this old photo from 1945 era. Dont know how I acquired it, but, here it is. Someone MAY recognise a relative?

erniebaker · 15-12-2009, 15:51

I know time has ticked on, but does anyone there remember my grandfather, Tom Baker? He arrived from Bristol in about 1941, and stayed on after the War. He was eventually a superintendent for English Electric and died in 1962 aged just 47.